Building on 70 years of pioneering in West Cumbria

Seventy years ago, Calder Hall put West Cumbria on the global stage and helped usher Britain into the nuclear age.

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened Calder Hall at Sellafield on 17 October 1956, beginning a nuclear legacy that has shaped Cumbria’s economy, workforce and identity for generations. 

Seven decades later, that legacy remains one of West Cumbria’s greatest strengths.

The skills, engineering expertise, infrastructure and supply chain developed here over generations continue to support nationally important work at Sellafield and have given the area a capability recognised far beyond Cumbria.

At BEC, we have always focused on how those strengths can create the next generation of economic opportunity for West Cumbria. That is at the heart of Pioneer Park.

BEC is leading the partnership bringing Pioneer Park forward alongside the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Cumberland Council, Sellafield Ltd, Josh MacAlister MP and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. 

The vision is for a nationally significant new nuclear, clean energy and technology development on around 200 acres of land adjacent to Sellafield, bringing together advanced nuclear technologies, clean energy generation, AI capability, high-performance computing and associated industries.

Michael Pemberton, Chief Executive of BEC, said: “Calder Hall’s 70th anniversary is an important opportunity to recognise the generations of people who established West Cumbria as a centre of nuclear expertise, but also to look firmly towards what comes next.

“Pioneer Park is about using the skills, infrastructure and supply chain already here to create new industries, attract major investment and generate long-term opportunities for our communities.

“The scale of the opportunity is significant, with an ambition to unlock up to £12 billion of private investment into West Cumbria. For BEC, this is exactly what place-based economic development should be about: building on what an area already does exceptionally well and using those strengths to create a stronger economy for future generations.”

That ambition is also strongly linked to the future of West Cumbria’s nuclear economy.

Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, said: “Seventy years ago, Calder Hall put West Cumbria at the centre of the world's nuclear future. Generations of local people went on to help power the nation, building an extraordinary concentration of nuclear skills, expertise, and industrial capability on our doorstep.

“For the last two decades, Sellafield has led the way in the hugely important work of decommissioning Britain's earliest nuclear facilities. But decommissioning cannot be our only future. We need to build on that proud legacy and ensure the next generation has the same opportunities the nuclear industry created for generations before them.

“That's what Pioneer Park is about. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring new nuclear power, advanced manufacturing and new industries to West Cumbria, attracting billions of pounds of investment and creating thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs.

“I'm working closely with government and our local partners to turn that ambition into reality. Seventy years after Calder Hall made history, I want West Cumbria to be at the forefront of Britain's nuclear future once again.” 

Pioneer Park also supports Cumberland Council’s wider ambitions for economic growth and diversification across the area.

Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: “Our Economic and Inclusive Growth Strategy identifies Pioneer Park as a key strategic investment. This will build on our strengths as an area whilst supporting the diversification of the local economy with the aim of providing greater opportunities for people and places to fulfill their potential.” 

Over the past six months, BEC and its partners have undertaken a detailed masterplanning programme alongside extensive engagement with communities, stakeholders, government, and industry.

BEC and Mott MacDonald are now entering the final stages of that programme. Its completion will provide the foundation for the next phase of Pioneer Park, with work increasingly focused on investment, infrastructure, potential developers and ultimately delivery. 

For BEC, Calder Hall’s anniversary is therefore as much about the future as it is the past.

West Cumbria has spent 70 years building an extraordinary legacy in nuclear, engineering and innovation. Through Pioneer Park, the opportunity now is to ensure that pioneering spirit continues to create jobs, investment, and opportunity for generations to come.